Barriers, Broken
by Mrs.JohnReese
Summary: Two years into the five year mission, Charlotte Pike is still reeling from the implications of Khan's sacrifice on her behalf. She thought that she would be able to forget the conflicting emotions he brought forth after he was put in cryosleep. But all of that will change when her barriers come tumbling down. When Khan returns, will she be able to resist him? Will she want to?
1. Haunting Reminiscence

_She could feel the dark form standing over her. She could practically sense the malice he put forth as he towered above her smaller frame. It was as though every cell in his body was fueled by hatred. Utter loathing. She had no idea what could have caused him to be this…vengeful…towards her in particular. But what she did know, as she struggled to force one eye open to get a look at her captor, was that she was completely and utterly terrified._

"_Still hanging on, I see" The man said; his voice low…dangerous, even then, as he towered above her; a faint scrape indicating that he had shifted slightly on his feet in order to bring a chair to sit by her head "We'll have to think of something to change that, I'd wager."_

_The girl opened her mouth to speak, willing herself to come up with a nasty retort. But all attempts in that direction were in vain as she found her throat too dry for words. She could barely breathe, let alone speak. And she found herself fighting tears of panic as she was forced to remain silent; her heart all but leaping into her chest as a second pair of footsteps entered the room._

"_Son. So good to have you back" The voice of her captor rang out again; causing her stomach to somersault in apprehension as yet another scrape indicated the man who had beaten her rising from his seat to address the newest arrival "Any luck in finding the others?"_

"_No, Admiral" The familiar, deep baritone rumbled; the faint sounds of hands clasping in greeting reaching the prisoner's ears as the familiar man…the man she thought she had loved…elaborated "But I am confident we will have them within a day. Kirk will not leave her, useless as she is. Of that, we can be certain."_

_The young girl wanted to speak. She wanted to cry out. To address the man who had so easily aligned himself with the Admiral that she had once held in high regard. But it was all she could do to keep the ever present darkness at the edges of her mind at bay as she continued to lie there, silent; waiting for the next blow. Waiting for death. Her own, and the death of her crew. The Admiral's helper was right. Her best friend would come for her. _

_And he would die as a consequence._

…

"Char! Char, c'mon, wake up!"

"Mmmm…"

"Charlotte Pike. You wake up this instant!"

Jolting up from the ground with a start, Charlotte's eyes flicked from the grass surrounding her, to the man who was so tightly gripping her shoulder; panic written clearly in his features as he fell back onto the ground himself with the force of her sudden movement. His free hand held a strange looking barbed arrow…tainted with blood at its jagged end…and a faint wave of nausea stole over her as she simultaneously noted the sharp stinging in her shoulder that was coupled with the almost sickening sweet smell in the air…

"Jim? What…what happened?"

"You were fighting" Kirk began; hauling himself up to his feet, and holding out his free hand for her to take "You were fighting and then you just…dropped."

Biting her lower lip, Charlotte took her friend's offer of assistance; a faint grimace flitting across her face as the act of rising to stand tore a bit at her wound, her eyes avoiding a meeting with Jim's as she tried to explain why she had fallen. As she tried to avoid telling him that the only reason the weapon, or whatever it was, had hit her shoulder in the first place had been because she was distracted thinking of _him_…thinking of Khan.

"The…the impact of the arrow must have…" She began; noting how Jim seemed to be becoming increasingly suspicious at how she was doing anything to avoid looking directly at him, before finding herself distracted yet again as Sulu ran towards them, his voice cracking as he yelled:

"They have more reinforcements coming from the north. If we're gonna leave; we've gotta do it now!"

"Shit" Jim muttered; shoving his phaser, and the enemy weapon into the back of his pants, before he grabbed Charlotte's arm and began dragging her after Sulu at a run "If you're gonna keep getting injured like this; maybe it's time to look for a new job."

"Right, because that's really going to work" Charlotte yelled back; forcing the almost numbing, needle-like sensation that was spreading ever faster from her shoulder towards her fingers aside as she added "How about the next time we need to do a negotiation, you let _me_ do the talking!"

"Right. I'll keep that in mind!"

Suppressing the next retort that came to her lips, Charlotte instead forced herself to continue running after her friend; bewilderment stealing over her at how quickly she was able to run in spite of her injury. Whatever she had been hit with, she suspected the creatures on this planetoid had laced it with poison, or some other substance that would subdue or paralyze its target…but in spite of that, she felt almost certain that it would not affect her as it would another human. Whatever advantage Khan's blood had given her two years ago; it was still present in her system now…and it was perhaps only that knowledge that forced her to put all distractions aside as she ran. She could not afford another lapse in judgment…not if reinforcements were, in fact, coming. They couldn't hold their own against still more of the insurgent force that was staging its coupe…even with the new changes that both she and Jim had experienced after they had nearly died.

Forcing her attention back to the present, Charlotte pushed onward behind Jim; noting with some relief that the shuttlecraft they had taken to this planet at the start of their attempt at negotiating had appeared amongst the trees and brambles. They were so close…so close to safety. But just as she had started to allow the beginnings of relief to take over, Charlotte found herself staggering as she ran; her hand snapping out to latch onto a nearby tree trunk as she faltered, and came to a stop. It was as though her body was grinding to a halt in order to latch all of its attention on whatever had been on that arrow; albeit at the cost of her ability to flee from the natives that she could clearly hear screaming in rage as they drew ever nearer.

_She didn't have time for this…_

Fighting panic, Charlotte pushed herself off of the tree; stumbling once again as she tried to override her body's need to remain dormant. It wasn't the first time that she had noticed how her body went into lock-down as a result of the slightest injury…some obscure side effect of the transfusion, she was certain. But in spite of that knowledge, and the many attempts she and Bones had made to discern the reasoning behind such a reaction; she was unable to force aside the nagging thought that maybe it was not a defect of Khan's blood in her body, but of _her_ in general…

Perhaps she really _was_ as weak and useless as the dream-Khan had told her.

Shaking her head in aggravation over such thoughts, Charlotte closed the distance between herself, and the rest of her crew as they neared the craft that would take them to safety; a cold sweat breaking out on her brow as she sensed rather than saw Jim reach out to drag her aboard after him. It only took a second for the gradual loss of light as the craft doors eased shut to force the young woman to her knees while a wave of dizziness stole over her…the last panicked words she heard from her friend…her captain…coming through in a distorted clamor as her body crumpled to the floor.

…

_She was sitting now. Handcuffed to a metal chair in the middle of a dark, frigid room. She couldn't recall how long she had been in here…how long the cold had rendered her a shaking, half-crazed mess. She could hardly tell who she was anymore; everything she had once believed in having unraveled in seconds right before her. But still, there was that portion of her that remained determined to fight. To see this through. And it was that part that enabled her to keep from breaking down as the man who had given her so much hope, and then taken it all away stepped through the crack in the door._

"_Charlotte" He breathed; his voice almost akin to a foreign caress as he slowly…painstakingly…stalked around her, finally coming to a stop at her back "What am I going to do with you?"_

_Swallowing stiffly, the young woman remained stubbornly silent; her heart breaking in spite of her attempts to remain cold as she felt his hands grabbing her wrists…as she felt him stick a key into the lock of the cuffs binding her…as he set her free. His hands lingered over hers for just a fraction of a second as she came to terms with her lack of restraint; and that act alone caused just the barest hints of hope to rekindle in her heart, her eyes blinking rapidly as she whispered:_

"_Khan…"_

"_You are a fool, Charlotte" The Augment said then; relinquishing his hold on her and stepping around to face her again as he leveled a cold glare down to her "You are a fool if you thought, even for a second, that someone like you could ever sway me."_

"_No…"_

"_You know what I am, Charlotte" Khan pressed on; crouching down so that his face was level with hers, his hand reaching out to tug her chin up to meet his gaze "You know what I am capable of. To think I could care for someone like you…"_

_He trailed off then; yanking his hand away as though he had been burned, his eyes showing nothing but disgust as he stood to his full height once again. _

"_Impossible."_

_Fighting against the strong burning of the tears that had risen, unbidden, to her eyes; Charlotte averted her gaze, steeling herself as best she could against the pain that tore through her like a knife would a mere curtain in the wind as she spoke, her voice hushed. Defeated._

"_I thought…I thought that you had changed."_

_The flat stare the Augment gave her in that moment had Charlotte shrinking backwards in her chair; and she thought she caught just the faintest hints of something familiar in his eyes for a moment, before they became cold as ice once more._

"_I have changed, Charlotte; but not in the way you think" He said; leaning forward and placing both hands on either side of the chair as he elaborated "What I did to convince you of my affections was brought about only to see how far you would be willing to go to feel worthy. Needed. Once you had fulfilled the task I selected you for; you became…obsolete."_

"_No…"_

"_How could it be any other way, Charlotte? You are nothing to me. You never were."_

_Closing her eyes, the young woman bowed her head; despair mingling with anger and betrayal at the Augment's words. He had used her. Perhaps she should have seen that one coming. But that fact notwithstanding; she still was helpless to prevent the wave of absolute devastation that stole over her in that moment…in the moment when she realized that she was nothing but a pawn to him. She could feel her heart breaking, as he watched her crumple before his eyes…and she found herself fighting the wracking sobs that wanted to claim victory over her as she leveled the man before her with as scathing a gaze as she could muster._

"_Why don't you just kill me?"_

"_Oh I will, Charlotte" Khan replied; his voice carrying danger…menace…as he stooped to meet her eye to eye "But not before we have a little more…fun…"_

…

***waves***

**Hello! Here we are with the first chapter (albeit a tinier one) of the sequel to Darkness, Unleashed. You have no idea how excited I was to be able to start writing this almost immediately after posting the final chapter of the initial installment…so I really do hope that you enjoy what I have so far!**

**As always, I want to offer my sincerest thanks to each and every one of you for staying with me through all of the ups and downs of the writing process. Without your dedication and support I really could never have gone this far. And that goes ten times over to my girls, Dasiygirl95, and CynthiaSylar! Words can't say how much I appreciate you two; and everyone else who has come along on the ride with us!**

**I guess that should be the end of my rambling for now. But as I always say, please don't hesitate to leave your thoughts for me in a review! I can't wait to see what you think of this start to a new Char/Khan tale!**

**Until next time…**

**MJR**


	2. Hands Forced

"I'm telling you, Jim, I don't _know_ what's causing it!" Bones exclaimed; slapping the file folder he had compiled since Charlotte's transfusion onto the countertop beside him in frustration and shoving a hand through his hair "We've tried literally _every _possible theory. Nothing adds up!"

"Well there has to be something" The Captain snapped; shaking his head and hauling himself up out of the chair sitting by his friend's bedside as he finished "I had the exact same transfusion, and I never end up like…this."

"Well, if you have any other ideas, Captain Genius; feel free to share them…"

"Bones…"

"Don't 'Bones' me, dammit! Don't you think I'm trying, here?"

"I know you are!" Jim protested; doing his best to keep the frustration out of his voice as he attempted to make amends. Of course he knew the doctor was trying to sort through the complications Charlotte was enduring as a result of receiving Khan's blood…he had witnessed, first hand, how often his friend went without much in the way of sleep or anything else to do just that. But that didn't stop him from feeling as though he was at his wit's end every time something like what they were currently witnessing came up. They had been back aboard the Enterprise for a day and a half. And yet Charlotte was still out. The monitors indicated she was truly in no danger, of course…

But that didn't mean he wouldn't be on edge anyway.

Turning to face the opposite wall, Jim eyed the monitors carefully for what had to have been the thousandth time; jumping and spinning back around as he heard stirring coming from the bed behind him. Closing the distance between himself and the hospital bed, even as Bones did the same; the Captain watched with some measure of impatience as Charlotte's eyes fluttered open, flicking from the doctor to himself as she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Again?"

"Again" Bones replied; the resignation and confusion he felt evident in his voice as he held a scanner towards the young woman, even as she flinched and tried half-heartedly to squirm away "When are you going to learn to stay out of _trouble_?"

"Probably never" Jim cut in; earning himself a glare from his best friend as he sank back into the chair by her side "She's too much like me."

"I've noticed" The doctor griped; exchanging the scanner for a vial and needle as he lifted Charlotte's arm, noting how she had closed her eyes again as he went on "Maybe we ought to think about separating you two."

"Good luck with that, Bones" The young woman said then; smiling faintly as she relaxed as best she could while the doctor drew enough of her blood to fill the vial, and removed the needle from her arm. She hated this feeling of helplessness that always accosted her after an event like the one she had just experienced. Winding up nearly comatose every time she was injured was nothing short of frustrating; especially given that Jim never had even a hint of the same problem. This shouldn't keep happening. She was supposed to be stronger. Faster. And to an extent, she _was…_so long as she didn't allow herself to sustain even the most minor of injuries. No matter how hard she tried, though, she couldn't seem to get to the reasoning behind these strange circumstances…and she found herself sighing as she opened her eyes again; turning slightly to face Bones as she asked:

"So when am I allowed out of bed this time?"

"You're under observation for at least another day" Bones replied; holding up a hand to ward off the all too predictable protests that Charlotte was about to put forth as he amended "But if you behave yourself and get your rest, I may let you sleep in your own bed tonight."

"Guess I'm behaving, then."

"Please…like that's possible" Jim said; noting how the smile on his friend's lips never quite reached her eyes as he leaned back in his chair. Of course he knew that their lack of knowledge over what was going on with her was no laughing matter. But he'd be damned if he didn't try to make his friend see the brighter side of the situation anyway.

_A captain's first duty was to his crew…_

…..

(three years later)

_She was running down a darkened hallway, her breath coming in agonizing gasps as she tried, in vain, to increase her speed. She knew he would find her…he always did. No matter how she might try to escape, she never seemed to be completely free of him, or the invisible chains that seemed determined to tether her to his side. But somehow, she couldn't bring herself to give up. Not now. She had lost everything, save for her life, in these months of captivity…_

_And instead of defeating her, that fact seemed only to fuel her determination to get out of here. She would escape. She would make sure her crew…her family…had not died in vain. She would see the sky…the sun…the moon and clouds again. Or she would die trying._

_Taking the nearest right down yet another dimly lit passage, Charlotte finally managed to speed up ever so slightly; her muscles burning in protest as she slapped an errant curl away from her eyes while she ran. If she could only reach that door that she had discovered just before being caught the last time…_

_A startled cry escaped her as she found herself falling to the ground in an instant; her cheek smacking against the cold concrete as she tried and failed to catch her fall with her hands. The sharp stinging sensation in both ankles alerted her, albeit belatedly, to the trip wire that had caused her fall…and she got up gingerly then; groaning as she felt a sharp stab of pain in her wrist that supported most of her weight._

_Was it broken?_

"_You really should know better by now, Charlotte…" The all too familiar voice echoed towards her in the darkness from somewhere off to her right; sure footfalls indicating her nightmare's approach as she instinctively scooted backwards. Of course he had found her. And she was going to pay…_

_Biting her lower lip as Khan stepped into the faint light cast over them from a nearby passageway; Charlotte looked up at him, fighting to hide the fear she felt slamming through her veins as he crouched down until he was directly in front of her. Cool blue eyes drilled into her skin as a lopsided grin twitched at those perfect lips…and before she could do anything about it, the Augment had reached out for her; grabbing onto her injured wrist and tugging it towards him, ignoring her gasp of pain as he spoke again._

"_I will always find you."_

"_Doesn't mean I won't still try…" She began; only to trail off in a whimper as pressure was applied to her wrist, just below her hand. Blue eyes narrowed down at her as Khan placed one knee on the ground; allowing him to inch closer to the frightened woman before him as he cut her off._

"_You are a fool; Charlotte Pike. Though I do admire your…tenacity."_

"_Go to hell" Charlotte spat; doing her best to ignore the tears that were burning behind her eyes as she met the Augment's stony gaze. The way he was looking at her in that moment had cold shivers darting down her spine; her fear only increasing as she tried and failed to pull her hand back out of his grasp. To look at him, it was as though he was at war with himself over whether he should keep toying with her, as a cat would a mouse; or if he should simply end her now, and spare himself the trouble of keeping her alive anymore. During the brief moment after she had spoken, Charlotte thought she could see a hint of indecision in Khan's eyes…but as quickly as that moment had come, it was gone. Before she could even blink, he was moving again; breaking the small glimpse beneath his carefully constructed barriers in seconds, as callous indifference took over once more._

_Dropping her wrist, Khan instead brought his hand to rest against Charlotte's throat; fingers curling around her neck and applying just the faintest hints of pressure as he leaned forward until his face was mere inches from hers…_

"_I am already in hell; Charlotte…"_

…..

The sound of the fire alarm screaming shrilly throughout the apartment jolted Charlotte awake with a start; its protests against the smoke billowing from the pan on top of the stove creating a stark contrast to the solitude that had previously occupied her home as she threw herself off of the couch and darted over to turn the burner off. Coughing as some of the smoke entered her lungs, the young woman dumped both the pan, and its charred contents into the sink; turning the water on as high as it would go before returning her attention to the beeping alarm above her head. Throwing one arm across her face to shield her nose and mouth from the smoke that was still wafting its way towards the ceiling, she tugged a nearby chair towards her; clambering up onto the seat so that she could reach the alarm, and disable it. She hadn't intended to fall asleep and let her dinner burn, of course…but if she were to be honest with herself; this wouldn't be the first time her best intentions had gone awry.

She had hoped that, after five days of shore leave, she might have a clearer head. That sleep, and some well-earned relaxation away from everything that had happened during the last five years would do her some good. That it would free her from the nagging feeling of dread that would not let her be. But instead of helping her, it seemed that her newfound free time was only sending her further into an inexplicable sense of anxiety; her ability to sleep…to eat…to do _anything_ only dwindling as more time went by. The brief span of time that she had spent aboard the Enterprise, seemingly free of her recurring nightmares was over now…

And if she were to be perfectly honest with herself; she was at a loss for what to do about it. Trying to avoid sleep only lasted so long…and it seemed that, every time she did just that; the dreams came back with a redoubled vehemence, as though she was being punished for trying to avoid them. And yet, every time she _did_ succumb to sleep, she woke with a sense of renewed anxiousness; every sound…every moment of silence…serving to put her on edge. A part of her knew that she should disclose what she was going through to _someone_. But another, stronger part of her remained silent; knowing that if she were to tell Jim, or anyone else of her dreams, she might be deemed unfit to remain a crewmember of the Enterprise.

Of all the things she had lost since the mission to capture Harrison…_Khan_…she sure as hell was not going to lose her home on top of it all.

Dragging a hand through her hair, Charlotte stepped down from the chair; her ears ringing after the near incessant beeping of the fire alarm as she set about cleaning up the mess she had made. She couldn't fight the stinging sensation in her eyes as she worked; her mind trying to blame it on the faintly lingering smoke, even though in her heart she knew otherwise. It was _him_. Khan. He was the one who had made her like this, whether by intent or not. He had taken over her life by force that night, when he attacked Daystrom. And although she tried vehemently to deny it; she had never been the same since. Her nearly empathetic attitude towards him when she had learned of the true motives behind his actions had disturbed her, even in the beginning. That she could sympathize with such a man…that she almost felt _sorry _for him, frightened her. Made her feel as though she was losing her mind. And now that she was dreaming of him, too…now that her dreams suggested that she harbored _feelings _for him…

It was impossible, of course. Every time the young woman contemplated such a thought, she had to shake herself. Had to root herself fully back in reality. Of course she could never _care _for him. He had killed her father. So many others had lost their lives at his hands. He had been created for a single purpose. Destruction and warfare.

So why did every fiber of her being protest against viewing him as the monster he was?

Shaking her head, Charlotte moved the pan to the other side of the sink to dry; placing both hands palms down against the cool metal before her as she forced a deep breath. Just _thinking_ about the Augment had set her heart to racing…and it was all she could do to remind herself that he was still in cryosleep. That he would be, forever…the sound of her communicator buzzing against the countertop jolting her to action as she jumped at the chance for any sort of distraction.

"Jim, hey!" She exclaimed; doing her best to not sound too out of breath as she turned to lean her back against the counter.

"Jesus, Char did you just run a marathon?" Her friend joked; not bothering to give her a moment to reply as he divulged the reason for his call "Admiral Hill asked me to tell you. We're meeting him at HQ in twenty minutes."

"Meeting him? Why?" Charlotte asked; shoving off of the counter as she maneuvered around the chair in the middle of the kitchen, and made her way to the bedroom "Is something wrong?"

"I couldn't get that much out of him; other than he wanted to talk to us about an idea of his" Jim replied; the sound of a hovercar starting in the background reaching Charlotte through their connection as he went on "Need me to pick you up, or…"

"No, Jim I'll drive myself" The young woman said; hoping she didn't sound too anxious as she finished "I've got one more thing I need to take care of here, and then I'll see you there."

"Fair enough. See you soon."

"Bye Jim."

Placing the communicator on her bedside table, Charlotte stepped around the paperwork strewn on the floor by the bed; grabbing her shoes from the closet, along with a jacket before making her way back out towards the door. It seemed strange that the new Admiral would be calling a meeting at such an odd time; and a part of her knew that whatever prompted such a seemingly random decision had to be important. She just hoped whatever it was may grant her the distraction she so needed.

_God it would be nice to go back to the way things were…_

…

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Charlotte stepped off of the elevator and walked towards Jim; doing her best to manage a genuine smile as he stood from the couch outside the Admiral's office and approached her, pulling her into a hug. She could feel so much strength and support in his arms as he pulled her to him…but before she really had a chance to acclimate to that, and use it to help her feel a bit more secure; Jim was pulling away, his nose wrinkled ever so slightly as he said:

"Did you…burn something?"

"Either that, or you were actually _thinking _again" Charlotte quipped; dodging Jim's attempt to swat at her shoulder, and silently thanking whatever power it was that had enabled her quick retort. She really didn't want to go into exactly what had happened to her prior to her arrival…and as though someone had heard her thoughts; the door to the Admiral's office creaked open at exactly that moment, causing relief to flood through her as their new leader stepped into the hallway.

"I'm glad the two of you could make it on such short notice" Hill said; gesturing for his subordinates to enter the office as he stepped aside "I had hoped we could put this idea of mine into action sooner rather than later."

"What exactly is it that you wanted to share, Admiral?" Charlotte inquired; following Jim into the office and turning to face Hill as he shut the door behind them. Given the Admiral's slightly taken aback expression from her hasty question; the young woman could tell that perhaps she had been a bit _too_ eager to discover what it was Hill had in store for them…but before she could do anything to make amends for such a thing, the Admiral was moving past her and to his desk as he answered her question.

"An idea came to me during a routine meeting to discuss the state of the Federation" Hill said; sitting in the large chair behind the desk and indicating for Charlotte and Jim to take a seat as well while he went on "Things are tenuous, at best, with the Klingons. Every day, we risk overt war with them; and tensions don't show any sign of abating. And though I am in no way advocating an all-out militarization; we cannot afford to sit back and do nothing while the threat continues to grow."

"What _are _you advocating, then?"

"We need to be ready for an attack, whether it happens or not; Kirk" Admiral Hill responded; his hand moving to toy idly with a pen on top of the desk as he looked from Jim, to Charlotte in anticipation of their reaction. They were the best he had…he _needed _them behind him on this. And he knew that would be no easy task, given their experience with what he was suggesting.

"And how do you propose we do that, Sir?"

"We train. We teach each and every member of Starfleet to defend themselves, and to initiate attacks if needs be" Hill said; standing from his seat and walking around to take a place in front of the desk as he elaborated "But, in addition to that training, we must also acknowledge that there are others that are better suited for such an ordeal. We acknowledge that…and we use a resource that we previously discarded. And this time, we make sure it goes the way we want it to."

"I'm not sure I follow, Sir" Jim cut in; risking a glance at Charlotte and noting that she seemed every bit as confused as he was "To what, exactly, are you referring?"

"Five years ago, we sent someone into cryosleep; when we should have been _thanking_ him for what he did" Hill said; drinking in the dawning comprehension in the eyes of the two individuals before him with some satisfaction as he elaborated "He saved two of the best officers I've ever seen in this program. But instead of rewarding that act of good faith; we punished it."

"Sir, you can't possibly be suggesting…"

"We need someone like him, Kirk! Someone with the fire…with the determination and sheer _strength_ to help us in the event that we cannot help ourselves!" The Admiral exclaimed; looking from Kirk, to Charlotte as he finished "He can show us things that it would take _centuries _to develop otherwise. And if we play our cards right, we might just stand a chance at aligning ourselves with the unstoppable force of the rest of his people. We unite _with _them, not against them; as we have in the past. We work _together_ for the benefit of both groups."

"Admiral…" Charlotte protested then; doing her best to avoid allowing the trepidation she felt to show in her voice as she made to explain exactly why this type of thing was a horrible idea. Before she could go any further, however; Hill was waving her off with a flick of his hand, as he pressed on:

"Marcus did them a great disservice, using them as he did. But this time, we'll make amends for that. They will be our _equals, _ not our experiments. And maybe…just maybe, we can remove the threat of the Klingons once and for all."

A brief pause ensued then, during which the two officers before him remained silent; Kirk seeming almost intrigued by such a plan, while Charlotte had stiffened, all the color draining from her skin as she stared at the floor while Hill spoke once more.

"I want to wake him up. And I want you two to be there when I do it."

…

**Hello my lovelies! It seems the fates were kind to me this weekend (at least, if you view 'kind' as promoting me ignoring my homework in favor of writing…haha). And here you have it! Another update! Hopefully the little time jump in the middle there didn't bother anyone too terribly. I wanted to set a bit of background during the middle of the five year mission; but then I wanted to move right along to the main part of the plot so as to not bore you to death.**

**As always, I want to thank Dasiygirl95 and CynthiaSylar for sticking with me on this, and continuing to deal with my idea throwing. Couldn't do it without you, girls! Especially since going without a script to back you up is a bit more challenging than I had anticipated.**

**I also want to take a moment to thank the rest of you all for following/reviewing as well! I'm going to do my best to reply to each review individually in the coming days…but I wanted to prioritize this chapter so that I wouldn't leave you hanging for too long! **

**As always, feel free to leave any thoughts in a review! I can't wait to see what you think!**

**Until next time…**

**MJR**


	3. Torn Allegiance

"_I want to wake him up. And I want you two to be there when I do it."_

…

"No…"

"Pardon me?"

"Admiral, what you're proposing…it's…it's…"

"Commander Pike, this isn't up for debate. My decision _is_ final."

"Admiral…Admiral, just let me…"

"No, Charlotte. Do not fight me on this."

"Or what?"

"Char" Jim cut in finally, placing a hand on his friend's arm in an attempt to calm her as he stepped between her and the Admiral "Sir, could you give us a moment?"

"Absolutely, Kirk. I trust you two can show yourselves out?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Meet me tomorrow morning. Seven-thirty sharp."

Offering the Admiral a curt nod as he departed, Jim waited an obligatory few seconds until he could be sure the man would not double back for the office before he turned to face his friend; noting how her eyes had gone out of focus for a moment as he stepped back from her and spoke.

"Char?"

Shaking her head, Charlotte blinked; turning her eyes to meet Jim's as she unconsciously shoved a hand through her curls.

"Jim, we can't do this. _I_ can't do this."

"Doesn't really look like we have much of a choice in the matter."

"Oh come on, Jim. Since when have you toed the line and played by the rules?"

"Since I damn near _died_. Since we both damn near died."

"I don't know…"

"Char, I won't let him get to you again. I promise."

"It's not just that…"

"Then what is it?"

Opening her mouth to speak, Charlotte found herself at a loss for words; torn between divulging what had been the subject of her dreams…her nightmares…for the past years, and continuing to keep the secret to herself. She had no way of knowing how Jim would react to what she had been going through. No way of deducing whether he would understand her fears, or think them unfounded. And she _certainly_ could not tell how he would take her ever-growing fear that if Khan _were _to wake again…

She would be completely and utterly lost.

Her dreams had suggested she cared for the Augment. And to an extent, in spite of her inclinations to do the exact opposite; she did. She felt for him. For what he had been through, both before coming to know him; and after. She knew exactly what it was to have your family ripped from you, although on a smaller scale. And she would not wish that pain on anyone; no matter what they may have done to deserve it.

Khan was dangerous, though. Her dreams, and what she had seen in the waking world proved that time and time again. She could only imagine what his reaction would be to yet another Starfleet Admiral pulling him out of cryosleep, for practically the same purpose as before. And she could not fight the sneaking suspicion that, were he to press his advantage against them; they would not be able to stop him this time.

Jumping as she felt Jim's hand closing around her own; Charlotte forced her mind back to the present then, managing a weak smile at the look of concern in her friend's eyes as he said:

"Char? You still with me?"

"Yeah…yeah, sorry I just…got distracted."

"Obviously" The Captain retorted; shaking his head in exasperation at both their current situation, and how difficult it was becoming to figure his friend out anymore as he stepped back and ran a hand over his face "I'm not wild about this either, Charlotte. But…but I can't help thinking that we _do_ owe him something. For…for what he did."

"And are we _helping_ him by bringing him back into the world that caused him so much pain?" Charlotte asked; noting Jim's startled expression at how she seemed to be taking Khan's side as she elaborated "Isn't it better to let him sleep? To let him be at peace?"

"I don't know. I don't know what's better, Charlotte" Jim replied; inwardly cursing himself for his indecision as he stepped closer to his friend once again "But we have to trust that Hill knows what he's doing."

"How do we know that he won't turn out to be exactly like…like Marcus?"

Reaching out to pull Charlotte closer, the Captain squeezed her hand gently; silently willing her to trust him…to believe him…as he spoke with more confidence than he felt.

"He won't. I won't let him."

…..

Hauling herself up from the chair for what seemed like the millionth time, Charlotte stepped around Jim as he sat beside her; heading over to the small window overlooking the grounds of Headquarters as she forced herself to take a deep breath. The relentless staccato beeping of the monitor that was keeping track of Khan's vitals was doing its best to drive her mad as she sat there, waiting for the inevitable…and she spun on a heel as she heard the sound of footsteps entering the room; her eyes meeting with Admiral Hill's as he looked from her, to the Augment still sleeping in the bed before them.

"Glad to see you've had a change of heart, Charlotte" Hill intoned; sparing the young woman a brief smile before continuing on to address Kirk "How is he?"

"His vitals are picking up, Admiral" Jim replied; standing from his own seat and moving over to shake Hill's proffered hand "The doctors say he should be coming to pretty quickly now."

"Good. Do we have the proper measures in place for when he wakes up?"

"Proper measures?" Charlotte cut in then, turning once again from the window and crossing her arms in front of her chest; skepticism heavy in her voice as she went on "Such as?"

"I'm taking a chance in waking him up, as you are well aware; Commander. But I am not so foolish to believe that we may not have to take steps to ensure things do not get…out of hand."

"Out of hand…" Charlotte began; trailing off for a moment as she saw two of the Admiral's guards step into the room behind him, weapons in hand "And what would your plan be for that?"

"If it should seem that he is unreceptive to my offer; then I am well prepared to take action to prevent any…untoward consequences" Hill replied; nudging his head towards the guards as they straightened to attention behind him "But I trust it will not come to that."

"And you think _they_ can subdue him?"

Taking note of the way the Admiral's shoulders had stiffened at her questioning of his plan; Charlotte found herself unconsciously taking a step towards the bed, an inexplicable wave of protective instinct tearing through her as she prepared for the criticism that was all too likely coming her way. Some part of her knew that she had crossed a line, _again_…but before Hill had a chance to put his thoughts regarding her insubordination into words; the beeping from the bedside monitor was accelerating, accompanied by a low groan as Khan finally began to move.

Tearing her hand back from the railing as if she had been burned; Charlotte fought to remain in place as her heart all but jumped into her throat, her mind willing her body to stay put when all she wanted to do was run. A part of her knew that trying to escape would be futile, of course; but even as she fought against the desire to bolt as she watched Khan shifting minutely before her, she could not deny the inexplicable desire to stay. To, at the very least, make sure the Admiral's threat of force was not needed.

_She owed him this much_…

Steeling herself for the moment she had been dreading for so long, the young woman cast a glance across the bed at Jim; noting how he, too, seemed anxious…uncertain…as they waited for the Augment to wake. Blue eyes met green as the two friends wordlessly shared their joined anxiety over what was about to happen; only breaking contact as a pale hand reached out to latch onto Charlotte's through the railing; startling her with the strength that was only barely concealed in that grip as the voice she had so long tried to escape assaulted her senses yet again.

"Charlotte…"

Unable to speak, the young woman could only force herself to meet the Augment's piercing gaze; noting once again how powerless she felt…how it seemed as though he were reading every facet of her being as his eyes flicked over her slowly. _Painstakingly_. To her, it almost seemed as though he were hungrily devouring everything about her as she stood there, frozen in place. And she couldn't help the flicker of panic that reached her eyes as he tugged gently on her hand until she stood closer to him; his eyes lingering on hers for a few seconds longer, before they turned to meet the sound of the Admiral's voice.

"Welcome back."

Eyes narrowing in suspicion, Khan shifted slightly so that he faced Kirk; his gaze now drilling into the second familiar countenance beside him as he questioned:

"_Captain_…I trust you have an explanation for this?"

"Of course" Hill cut in before Jim could reply; his focus catching for a moment on how the Augment's hand still remained tightly around that of his young Commander, before he returned to the present matter and elaborated "I had hoped we could come to some sort of an agreement…"

"Agreement?" The Augment interjected; a laugh of resignation breaking through the lingering fog of cryosleep as he looked to the young woman beside him, only reluctantly releasing her hand from his as he felt her trying to step away. She looked different. Thinner. _Haunted_. And he allowed himself the briefest moments of contemplation…of wondering what she had been through…before he returned his focus to the Admiral and went on "And what is it you intend to use against me this time? My crew, as you know, is dead."

_Pain_. So much pain. Charlotte could hear it in his words, even though his eyes remained cool and calculating as he awaited the Admiral's reply. She could practically sense his distress in the air surrounding them. Her own heart reverberated that feeling, multiplying it ten-fold as she took note of how the Admiral's eyes had immediately flicked to her in that moment; the caution…the _warning_ they held making it all too clear that she was not to divulge what she knew. What they all knew. From the steel in Hill's gaze, to the barely perceptible shake of his head, she realized that she was, yet again, a part of a scheme based nothing on manipulation. Yet again, the organization that she had once trusted unreservedly was lying to get a leg up. _Using_ someone more advanced for their own purpose.

History, it seemed, was about to repeat itself. And she was, once again, just a pawn.

It took all that she had to remain silent as Hill leveled one last, almost scathing look her way; and she found her fingernails digging into her palm as her hand formed a fist, her entire body stiffening minutely as the Admiral spoke.

"I am not the same man as my predecessor, Khan" Hill said; his voice pitched as though to inspire trust…camaraderie…as he finished "I will not be using you as he did."

For his part, Khan remained silent as he contemplated the words spoken; all too aware of how Charlotte had tensed beside him as he waited patiently for the chips to fall. There could only be one reason he had been awoken today. And although he would not deny the relief he felt in knowing that the woman he had been so compelled to save was alive and well, at least on the surface; he could not seem to tamp down the accompanying anger that came with that relief.

Did these fools really think he would _help_ them; after what they had done? After what they had taken from him?

"Since you slept, the threat posed by the Klingons has only grown" Hill said; breaking the silence with an authoritative tone as he explained further "While we have done our best to train and prepare for potential conflict; I am forced to admit that we are still not at our full strength."

"Which is where _I_ come in."

"Precisely. I will not be so bold as to ask you to fight for us. That would serve no purpose, other than to reminisce to times past. But what I _will_ ask, is that you help us prepare. Give us the tools needed to wipe out a threat, should it come to pass. Help us protect our world; as you once protected your own."

Watching the Admiral as he paused yet again; it was all Khan could do to remain, back straight in the hospital bed instead of simply ending this man, now. He knew it would be easy, even with the guards flanking the Admiral's side; prepared to strike at the faintest hint of danger. That this frail human dared think he could be bought by Starfleet again…that he thought his assistance would be given to _any_ of them after what had happened gave proof to his arrogance. His stupidity. But in spite of the rage the Admiral's audacity inspired in the Augment, he found something holding him back.

_Her_…

Khan could tell, just from the way that Charlotte stood beside him; eyes downcast as though she was locked in some internal war that only she could fight, that she was not with her leader on this. He could practically taste her anxiety over what was being proposed…over its implications for both herself and everyone else involved…and that alone waylayed him from exacting his revenge here and now. Were he to attack, he knew without really understanding why, that he would spare her. Take her with him. He would keep her at his side no matter the cost. He would keep her _safe._

But he also knew that, were he to murder both her Admiral; she would never forgive him. No matter how she may seem to be at odds with the man, Khan knew that such an event would only force her back to memories of her father. And that thought, for some inexplicable reason; pained him enough to stay his hand.

_Now was not the most advantageous moment to strike…he must bide his time._

"What is your plan, should I agree; Admiral?" Khan inquired then; doing his best to keep his tone even as he looked back to the man making the foolish offer "What becomes of me after my usefulness is gone?"

"That, Khan, is up to you" Hill responded; noting the shock in both Kirk and Charlotte's faces as he made his closing argument "Should you wish it, we can return you to cryosleep. But it is my own personal desire that you would be able to find a life amongst our people. Live as one of our own; in peace, able to enjoy the rewards of your efforts. But I cannot make that choice for you. Nor will I."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I offer you the same choice as before. You have my word."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't" Charlotte spoke then; ignoring the look of combined shock and anger on Hill's face as she stepped closer to Khan's bedside, forcing aside the feeling of her heart pounding in her chest as those icy eyes once again locked themselves on her "You don't. All we're asking is that…is that you _try_. Give us a chance to right the wrongs of before."

"_Nothing _can bring my crew back; Charlotte…"

There it was again. That pain…the longing and despair that tore at Charlotte's heart. For a flash of a second, she thought she could actually see real emotion in the Augment's eyes as he watched her intently. But just as quickly as it had come, it was gone; the walls he had perfected so long ago coming up once again as Kirk spoke from opposite them.

"You're right" Jim said; moving to rest both hands against the bedrail as he looked to Khan with perhaps more confidence than he felt "But at least give us the chance to repay you for what you did on our behalf."

Hiding the strong wave of irritation that stole through him at how the Captain that had cost him so much addressed him as though he had saved him _voluntarily_; Khan looked from Kirk, to the Admiral, taking a measured breath before finally replying:

"Am I permitted a moment; Admiral? To weigh my options?"

"Of course" Hill replied; motioning for Charlotte and Kirk to head towards the door as he finished "I trust you will come to the right decision."

Sparing a curt nod of recognition for the foolhardy Admiral, Khan watched as first Kirk, and then Charlotte disappeared through the door to the hallway outside; the two guards that had flanked the Admiral coming to rest outside his door as sentinel shortly afterward. As a protective measure against _him_, he was sure…

Not that they stood much of a chance, should he decide to break free. He knew he could overpower them; even still weak with the effects of being awakened. And it was only the desire to investigate what had just been put before him that held him at bay; his fingers curling into fists as he fought back frustration over this new predicament. How had he come to be here, _again_? At the mercy of yet another Starfleet Admiral who only wished to further his own recognition. His own standing. In spite of Hill's claims to the contrary, Khan suspected that he was, in fact, very much like Marcus in his intentions. Despite the man's lack of leverage, he knew that the new Admiral was overly confident in his ability to gain the trust of his adversary.

That confidence would be his downfall. Khan did not know yet, how or when. But the new Admiral _would _fall by his hand. Starfleet would pay for what they had done. Every last one of them would feel the gravity of their mistake before their end. And if he won…if he were truly successful…

Charlotte would be at his side, all fear of him completely erased when it happened. Already she had given him hints of where her allegiance truly rested.

_It was only a matter of time now._

Almost without realizing it, Khan relaxed the muscles in his hands; allowing his fingers to straighten on the bed beside him as a faint grin twitched at the corners of his mouth.

_His decision, it seemed, had been made…_

…

"Give us a moment, Kirk."

"Admiral?"

"I need to discuss something with Commander Pike. Alone."

"Go ahead, Jim" Charlotte cut in; taking note of how her friend seemed almost intent to remain rooted to his spot in the Admiral's office, and offering him a small smile as she gestured for him to leave "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

The young woman watched as Jim nodded curtly, eyes still holding uncertainty as he stooped to grab his jacket from the chair by the door before offering the two that were remaining in the room a small wave.

"Tomorrow, then."

"Good night, Kirk" Hill called; taking a seat behind his desk and waiting until the young Captain had disappeared from view down the hallway before he gestured for Charlotte to take a seat as well.

"Sit, please."

"Fine where I am; Admiral, thank you" Charlotte replied; rolling her shoulders minutely in an attempt at easing the tension in her tired muscles as she waited for the other shoe to drop. She knew that the Admiral had noticed her near willingness to tell Khan about his crew. He had seen her come to the Augment's defense, agreeing that he had no reason to trust them when to admit such a thing stood a very good chance at quenching any possibility of him giving Hill what he wanted.

And now, of course, she was going to hear about it.

"I gather you disagree with my methods" Hill stated simply then; confirming Charlotte's suspicions as he leaned forward until he came to rest with both elbows resting against his desk while he watched the young woman before him carefully "Care to get that off your chest?"

"I don't think it is wise to keep his crew's survival a secret, Admiral" Charlotte began; opting for honesty in spite of how it almost seemed safer to hide her distrust of his motives. Truth be told, she was far too tired to argue with him at the moment…but of course it seemed he had other ideas; evidenced by the sharpening of his tone as he held her gaze with his own while he spoke.

"A leader is only effective if he knows when to reveal all of his secrets; Charlotte" He said; standing to move around the desk as he elaborated "If he gives us the help we need; then we can tell him the truth. Until then…"

"Until then we keep him in the dark; and use him for brute strength."

"Do not pretend you know all of my motives; Commander" Hill argued; his voice raising ever so slightly as he stepped closer to the young woman before him "It is not for myself that I am doing this."

"Then who _are _you doing it for?"

Holding back anger at her continued defiance, Hill reached out to grab onto Charlotte's wrist; pulling her closer as he brought his voice to nothing more than a whisper.

"For our people" He hissed; his grip only tightening and causing Charlotte's eyes to widen as he elaborated "So that they never have to live in fear of war again!"

"And if this backfires? What then? What will you tell them when they face _his_ version of war; Admiral?"

"By then, you and Kirk will have learned all that you can from him" Hill replied; loosening his hold on Charlotte and taking a step back as he finished "By then you will have the strength to take him down; if needs be."

Walking back to his desk then, the Admiral returned to his seat; letting out the breath that he had been holding as he saw the beginnings of comprehension taking root in Charlotte's eyes.

"Never forget, Charlotte. _You _are an advantage to us, too. Imagine harnessing that advantage. Using it to its full potential."

"I…I'm afraid I don't follow; Admiral" Charlotte began; shoving a trembling hand through her hair as she watched a familiar look taking over Hill's face as he watched her. Waited. Waited for her to realize that she already knew what he was going to say…

"You were born for greatness, Charlotte" He said; drinking in how she had paled considerably as he picked up his pen and tugged a sheath of paper towards him "And I plan to help you achieve it. Even if it comes at the cost of _his_…"

…

**Well well well! Look who finally conjured up another update! I do hope you can all accept my apologies for taking so darn long to get this out to you. I must confess, I was sidetracked by a bunny for Thor/Loki, and that sort of took precedence for a while. But here we are! Another chapter for Char and Khan! Yay?**

**As I'm sure you can guess, I went kinda angst-monster with this one. I hadn't originally planned on having Khan go all 'evil-plot-master' yet…but it seems the bunnies had other ideas? I also hadn't previously thought of how I wanted to write Hill's character. But it seems as though I want him to be a creep in his own right. Oops? Hopefully that isn't a problem?**

**Needless to say, I want to thank each and every one of you for your patience and kindness in the reviews! I truly do appreciate all of your kind words of encouragement! And I can't wait to hear what you think about this chapter!**

**Which brings me to my closing (and usual) statement! What **_**did **_**you think? Love it? Hate it? Somewhere in between? I can't wait to hear it all, so please don't hesitate to drop me a review!**

**Much love…  
MJR**


	4. Choice Made

_(One week later)_

Perhaps the one thing Charlotte enjoyed the most about the after-effects of Khan's blood was how _fast_ she had become. While she had certainly not been slow before, it was definitively easier to cover more distance quickly, now. The daily run that had become her addiction since waking to find herself changed had served as a kind of salve to all of the other problems that transfusion had brought along with it; and ever so gradually, she had been able to increase her endurance. Her strength. Something that she appreciated now, more than ever; as she found herself needing that stamina if she were to remain sane.

Even as she ran, feet pounding at the pavement in time with her breathing, she could still hear the Admiral's words in her head. She could _feel _them, circulating through her and chilling her blood with the hidden implication. Hill seemed to think that she was destined for greatness…that she could do much more than her current station allowed; if she but embraced that which set her apart instead of running from it.

But at what cost?

A part of her couldn't help but wonder if Admiral Hill were truly interested in seeing her advance for her own sake; as opposed to another reason entirely. Certainly, on the surface, he _seemed_ safer than Marcus in that regard. But she hadn't missed the faint glint of something not altogether familiar in his eyes as he had hinted at what he could do for her…at what he could give her, if only she would reach out and _take _it. It was obvious he wanted to see what she was capable of.

But could she grant him that wish, without going against everything she had been brought up to believe? Could she let him use her against the man who had saved her life?

Forcing herself back to the present just in time to duck and avoid a low-hanging tree branch, Charlotte noticed with some regret that the laboring gasps for air that had been ringing in her ears as a background to her thoughts were not hers at all; her pace automatically slowing to a walk as she turned to face the young cadet beside her. As a part of the new protocol for making sure that Starfleet did not let training and fighting prowess fall to the wayside; Admiral Hill had assigned each senior officer a new recruit. Someone to guide…to train in the event that their aid was required. And the young woman at Charlotte's side was certainly up to the task.

That is, as long as Charlotte kept herself in check and didn't forget that the poor girl didn't share her…enhancements.

Throwing an almost sheepish grin towards the brunette as she too came to a walk; Charlotte spoke, her voice steady in spite of how hard she had been running as she said:

"Sorry…"

"Not…a problem" The cadet…Heather…gasped; a choked laugh escaping her as she stooped over to stretch her back "You're keeping me on my toes. Which is probably exactly as the Admiral wants it."

"Not sure he wants me to burn you out in the process, though" Charlotte replied; gesturing to the nearby coffee truck and noting Heather's resultant eager grin with some amusement as she elaborated "My treat."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely" Charlotte said; stepping to the side so that Heather could order first as they closed the distance between themselves and the truck "Whatever you want. Sky's the limit."

"Careful…I'm a bit of an addict when it comes to this stuff…"

"Well then, that makes two of us."

It didn't take long for the two women to decide on what to order; Heather opting for a frappucino in spite of the cool bite of fall in the air, while Charlotte went for the traditional espresso. Waving off the younger girl's profuse thanks with her hand, Charlotte took a sip of her drink; savoring the warmth that spiked through her slightly chilled body, as she tried to figure out the proper way to ask a question that had been nagging at her ever since Khan's awakening. It had been troubling, having no one to ask, without fear of that person scoffing at her concerns. But this impromptu meeting that had brought her here seemed like as opportune a moment as any. After all, Heather didn't _seem _like the judging type…and she was the only one Charlotte knew that was far enough removed from everything that had happened with the Augment to make an unbiased assessment.

Spending only a moment watching as the cadet beside her began sipping eagerly at her drink; Charlotte pursed her lips for the briefest of seconds before she took a breath and broke the silence.

"Heather, can I ask you something?"

Nodding, the brunette swallowed another sip of her drink; shivering a bit as the cool liquid traveled down her throat before replying:

"Shoot."

"If you knew something…something that was very important to another person…" Charlotte began; pausing to take a small sip of her coffee and drag a hand through her hair before she went on. Before she divulged the thing that had been tormenting her ever since her last meeting with the Admiral almost a week ago "If every cell in your body wanted to tell that person what you knew. But you were under strict orders _not _to…"

"Would I tell them anyway?"

"Yes."

Heather paused then; eyeing Charlotte with curiosity as she stooped to sit on the park bench beside them, watching her mentor carefully as she moved to sit as well, before finally addressing the woman's question with one of her own.

"Since when does the mentor ask the mentee a question?"

Laughing, Charlotte looked down at the cup in her hands; shifting slightly on the bench before returning her focus to the cadet and replying:

"Since the mentor has no clue what it is they're doing."

Another pause ensued as both women settled into their seats, an unspoken trust evident between them as the younger of the two waited until no one else was within earshot before preparing to speak. Of course the young cadet knew, or at least suspected what it was that troubled her mentor…and it was with that in mind that she shifted on the bench yet again; her expression turning serious as she reached out to place a hand on Charlotte's arm.

"This is about Khan, isn't it?"

Biting her lower lip, Charlotte looked to Heather then; nodding her assent as surprise flooded her. Had it really been that obvious?

"Well I don't pretend to know everything you went through where he's concerned" Heather began; retracting her hand and leaning back against the bench as she went on "All I know is what little I heard from briefings and what you've told me."

"Which isn't all that much…"

"No. No, it's not. But it's enough."

Noting how Charlotte was watching her intently, equal parts of trepidation and eagerness in her eyes; Heather took a steadying breath, happy, to some degree, that she had been successful in her assumption of what was wrong. She had heard tales of Khan, and what he had done both to and for the crew of the USS Enterprise. She had learned through guarded conversations with the woman beside her that he was certainly an enigma. One that, unless she were mistaken; Charlotte was inexplicably drawn to. Haunted by. And as a result of what she had learned…of what she had gained in terms of insight…she had found herself able to prepare her answer to just such a question in advance.

"It's enough to tell you that, if it were _me_ living in ignorance about what had been kept from me; I would want to know. I would want someone to step up and tell me. And Charlotte, don't think for one _second _that you can tell me this wasn't your plan all along; regardless of my answer."

Blinking in surprise, Charlotte once again allowed her hands to fall to the task of fiddling with her coffee cup; turning ever so slightly to face Heather as she managed a small smile:

"You sure you don't want to go into interrogation? Pretty sure you can give me a run for my money, at this point."

"Using people's body language against them isn't really my thing…"

"And stunning them with a phaser _is_?"

"Touche."

Standing from her seat on the bench, Charlotte took a few steps away; spinning around only seconds later as she asked:

"And what if he hates me for it?"

"Charlotte, why would he hate you?"

"Because I _knew_! I knew for a week, and I've been skirting around him; avoiding any situation where the two of us might end up alone together…I'm a part of the lie, Heather. Whether I wanted to be, or not; I am."

"Yes, but he saved you. _You_, Charlotte. That's got to mean something" Heather protested; standing to face the distressed woman before her as she stepped forward "Look, I'm not going to pretend that I can tell you what to do on this. I've got nowhere near enough experience or knowledge to do that. But what I _will_ tell you, is that the longer you wait; the more it _is _going to look like you were siding with Hill all along. Is that really what you want, here?"

"No…"

"Then go with your gut" Heather replied firmly; reaching down to squeeze Charlotte's hand as she finished "You're sharp. Quick on your feet. You know _exactly_ how to work people; to turn a situation to your advantage. _Use _that. And let the chips fall where they will after the fact."

Looking down at her feet, Charlotte allowed those words to sink in; her mind running in circles, even while her heart told her she knew what she needed to do. It was only fair, wasn't it? After all that he had done for her, without her even asking? Regardless of what consequences may come about as a result? If she were honest with herself, she knew that Heather was right. She was planning this all along. Perhaps she only needed encouragement from an outside source to solidify her resolve…

And now, all that remained was to ensure she was strong enough to see it through.

_She knew what she had to do…_

…

It was curious, how much nerves could affect a person in one moment; and then completely abate in the next. Whereas before, she had been almost continually plagued by anxiety and uncertainty; now that she stood in the office that had been so recently allocated to the newly awakened Augment she was here to meet; Charlotte found herself experiencing a strange sense of calm. As though she were _meant_ to be doing this. It felt _right_, being here; waiting to enlighten him as to what was going on, in spite of the fallout that may occur as a result…and so the young woman found herself able to meander around the room with an eerie sense of ease; fingertips trailing over the spines of books stacked high on the shelf in the corner by the window as she pondered her choice.

The choice she knew she would make again and again. She had taken sides…there was no going back now.

She liked to tell herself that Heather had assisted her in coming to this decision. A decision that could serve to either help, or hinder her current state of being. She wanted to believe that she had been uncertain which steps to take before talking to her young friend…before hearing what she had to say.

But Charlotte knew, almost on an instinctive level, that to think those things would be a lie.

Almost without realizing it, the scales had tipped her allegiance; swaying it ever closer to Khan in the face of Admiral Hill's proclamations. His veiled _threats. _And while she did not relish the idea of betraying the entirety of Starfleet through her actions…she knew what had to be done. What was _right_. Even her father would have agreed with her; had he been in her shoes…wouldn't he?

_He would not have opted for deceit…_

"Did you find one you like?"

Whirling around to meet the source of that inquiry, Charlotte hastily stepped away from the bookshelf; her hand automatically coming up to tuck an errant curl behind her ear as she replied:

"Pardon?"

"A book" Khan stated; his lips quirking up in a faint grin as he walked soundlessly towards her from the entrance to the office "I thought perhaps you were searching for one to borrow."

Opening her mouth to speak, Charlotte fought back against the creeping sense of her anxiety returning to her as Khan's eyes drilled into her own; silently willing herself to keep up the cool façade that she had thought would remain in place effortlessly as she shook her head and said:

"Not at the present, no."

"Then what _are_ you searching for?"

"You" Charlotte replied; noting the small rise in one flawless eyebrow before she ducked her head down, averting her gaze as she finished "I…there is something we need to discuss."

"What is it?" The Augment asked as he gestured for the young woman to take a seat on the chair beside the desk; sensing how she seemed torn between taking his offer, and rejecting it as she shook her head minutely and instead turned to walk in the opposite direction. As he watched her, he couldn't help but notice how her steps seemed confident…_certain_, in spite of the tension in her shoulders and back…and he found himself biting back surprise, of all things, as she came to stand beside him, her eyes flicking up to meet his as she spoke.

"I really think it's better if I showed you."

….

Khan followed Charlotte down one of the many hallways making up the convoluted network of buildings that served as Starfleet Headquarters; remaining silent in spite of the nagging desire to force her to give him _something_ that could help him discover what she was up to. A part of him recognized that she was different. _Off_. In direct contrast to their previous encounters since his awakening, this time she was more self-assured. Confident, in spite of the lingering trepidation that he could read in her eyes whenever she looked his way. It was as though she had cast away a part of herself that was keeping her restrained. Held back.

And he could not figure out whether that intrigued him, or worried him.

Of course he should have expected to see a change in her after receiving his blood. Even just watching her, he could notice the difference. She stood straighter. _Seemed _stronger. In spite of how small she still looked to him, he could tell that she was perhaps healthier than she had ever been before; at least in a physical sense. But those eyes…they were just as haunted and saddened as before he had slept. The only difference in _this_ moment; was the added determination laced in with the other emotions.

_She was up to something…_

Just as soon as the words entered his mind; Khan found himself forced to stop moving, narrowly avoiding a collision with the woman before him as she turned on a heel just outside a tall iron door near the end of the hallway. Once again, she was looking up at him; her eyes showing how much she was struggling even though she still held firm on the outside as she stood there, watching him…and he had to wonder at exactly what had caused her to be so conflicted as he listened to her speak.

"I…I want you to know that…_this_…what I'm about to do, it's…I'm not sure how I feel about it" She began; averting her eyes as Khan watched on in silence, the urge to bully her into telling him whatever it was that she had brought him here for warring with the desire to let her do this on her own terms as she fiddled with her identification badge in her hands. Whatever she was about to tell him, it had clearly taken its toll on her. And in spite of his stubborn curiosity, the Augment once again found himself stricken by an almost compulsive need to protect her from whatever it was as she finally spoke again; twisting the lanyard of the badge in her fingers as she pushed forward.

"But I have to do it. You…you have to know" She went on; looking up at him as though searching his face for the courage she needed to continue onward "You _have _to know."

"Who are you trying to convince; Charlotte?" Khan asked her then; concern mingling with the curiosity in his tone as he watched the young woman shift on her feet "Me? Or yourself."

In lieu of a reply, Charlotte simply turned from him; sucking in a deep breath as she flashed her badge before the reader just to the left of the door. It swung inward on metal hinges soon after, the groan it gave off reverberating through the small hallway as she stepped inside, with Khan following close behind. The young woman found herself barely able to breathe as she prepared for the inevitable outcome of her action…any minute now, Khan would realize what had been hidden from him…

_Any minute now, everything would come crashing down._

Charlotte did not have to turn around to hear the hollow sound of the Augment's knees hitting the concrete floor. She didn't have to focus intently to hear the ragged gasp that had escaped his lips as the truth sank in. She could practically feel the relief and surprise and anger reverberating off of him and into the room where the rest of his crew slept. And she found that the longer she stood there, imagining what he must look like…what he must be thinking…it was becoming far simpler to envision his pain. His heartache.

Unsure of what to do, the young woman made to turn around and leave him in peace with his family…the ones he had believed to be dead; only to find his hand latching out to grab onto her wrist in an iron grip, his eyes containing a myriad of unspoken words as he stood to his full height once again.

"How long did you know?"

"Khan, I…"

"How long; Charlotte?"

"Since you were sent back to sleep."

Dropping her wrist, Khan turned away from her then; every cell in his body fighting to remain in check as he felt his fingers curling into fists. They had _lied_ to him. Made him believe his crew to be dead. Made him focus every last essence of his being on seeking still more vengeance; when the very people he sought payback for were right under his nose. Instead of trusting instinct…trusting the voice inside his mind that urged him to question their demise; he had fallen prey, once again, to something he should have known well enough to avoid.

_Because of a woman…because of her._

He would not deny that, since awakening, a part of him had yearned to be near her once again. That same fraction of his being that had all but demanded he save her from the virus of Marcus' design had been unable to resist jumping at the chance to see if he could sway her allegiance…just as he had almost done prior to the events of before. To say that he did not envision a world where he was king, and she stood beside him every step of the way would be a lie; even though he had not yet teased out the baser meaning behind such a desire. But now, knowing that she had kept this from him for as long as she had…

"Khan…Khan, listen to me" Charlotte's voice came from behind him; faint and timid, yet still laced with that stubbornness that had once intrigued him so much as he felt her hand on his arm, and fought to recoil from her touch "You know as well as I do that I had no way of knowing what they would do to you until after the fact. When I found out that…that you had been placed back into cryosleep before knowing the truth…"

"Do not attempt to lie to me…"

"I'm not!" The young woman exclaimed; the sudden anger and frustration that had replaced the trepidation in her voice shocking the Augment, and causing him to turn back just a bit so that he could meet her gaze as she argued her case "Do you really think I would be here, now; risking my damn _career_ if all I wanted to do was lie? Do you have any _idea_ what could happen because of this?"

"Then why are you here?"

"Because, I…" Charlotte began; stopping to swallow stiffly as unbidden tears threatened to stifle her words, her hand quickly darting up to swat at her eyes so that Khan would not see the faltering of her resolve as she forced herself to finish "I know what it feels like to have the ones you love ripped from your world. I know that pain…and I thought…I thought that it might do you some good knowing you don't have to suffer anymore."

Stepping towards him, Charlotte inclined her neck so that she held his gaze; refusing to let his advantage in height sway her as she finished:

"Apparently I was wrong about that."

Opening his mouth to retort, Khan suddenly found himself at a loss for words; the pain that had been so clearly evident in Charlotte's tone…in those _eyes_ that insisted upon searing themselves into his very soul preventing him from unleashing the brunt of his fury upon her. In spite of how he wanted to make it abundantly clear that she was no more exempt from his wrath than anyone else in her precious Starfleet; the Augment was unable to do so, rendered completely silent and immobile as he watched her turn from him and head back towards the door. Seemingly intent upon watching her leave, even though a larger part of him demanded that he attend to his sleeping crew; he could only stare after her as she disappeared from view, his accentuated hearing picking up her whispered words as she left him to himself.

"_Forgive me…_"

….

**Hello! And welcome to the next installment of the story! I had originally intended upon making this one a bit longer, so we can get Char into feeling the consequences of what she's done. But I've been in a kind of funk the whole weekend, plus time kind of got away from me today; so hopefully this little excerpt suffices for now.**

**Speaking of the funk, some of it has me not so satisfied with how this turned out. So I wanted, as always, to open the floor to you all and see what you think? I know I kind of threw another OC in there out of left field…but I was rather fond of the idea that Hill would want as much networking as possible within the ranks of both officers and cadets; so that's that. And of course then there's the big reveal. My writing went a different way with that than originally intended too; namely that I hadn't previously planned on Khan actually being upset with Char as well. I had originally thought he would be understanding of her, just not the others…but then I thought, this is **_**KHAN **_** we're talking about, here. He's not all sunshine and rainbows. Why not create extra conflict.**

**And so I did. (wink).**

**At any rate, all of those things being said; I want you guys to give me your honest opinion here. Did it turn out okay? Or does it totally suck? If it's the latter, I can take it down and try again next weekend (or rather halfway through the week since I have Thursday and Friday off from rotation…YAY!). Either way, I'm anxious to see what everyone thinks! And yes, I will eventually get off my lazy ass and reply individually to everyone's reviews. I promise.**

**Until the next time…**

**MJR**


	5. Chips Fall

_Squinting her eyes against the glaring lights surrounding the small room they occupied; Charlotte fought back relentless surges of pain and fear, the jeers of the invisible crowd surrounding them nearly deafening in their magnitude as they assaulted her ears. Twinges of panic raced through her veins as she came to terms with the loss of vision in the painful light that seemed for all intents and purposes to be fixed on her; the weight of Khan's fingers encircling her arm serving as a steady reminder that she should do as she was told. She was rendered completely helpless, here, forced to rely on another's guidance so that she would not fall. And she found herself letting out an unwanted yelp of surprise as Khan suddenly shoved her forward; her balance failing, and sending her tumbling to her knees, with both hands smacking against the concrete floor._

_The spectacle of her body crumpling to the ground before their leader was enough to send the unseen audience of Augments into raucous cheers; seventy-two voices uniting as one in mockery of the human that thought to save them. The human that thought herself capable of earning their trust. _

_As if such an inferior being could ever gain something like that._

_This woman…this human would die. She deserved nothing less. Her acts that sought only to further her standing with the leader of the crowd that had assembled would be forgotten. Quickly cast aside in light of her allegiance with the organization that had stolen so much from the Augments. No longer would they be regarded as experiments, only fit for the use of Admirals seeking to enhance their own power…_

_Their time had come._

_Quieting in reverential admiration as their leader held a hand out towards them; the unseen crowd waited in anticipation for his words. For his permission. Of late, they had desired nothing more than for him to cast the wretch at his feet into the fate which she deserved. Perhaps now, he had finally seen the light. Perhaps now, his favor for her had died out._

"_Long have you waited to seek revenge upon those who would use us as weapons" Khan began, his voice sure…strong…as it rang out around the room; echoing and multiplying in volume as it reverberated against the walls surrounding them "For months, you have lurked in the shadows; biding your time. Waiting for the opportune moment to strike."_

_Murmurs tore through the crowd at that; giving voice to the crowd's assent and undying support for the man who had helped them survive the worst of crimes. He had guided them. Protected them. And there was not a one of them that would deny that they would willingly lay down their life for Khan, their leader. Their king._

"_That moment is now" Khan started in again; sparing a moment to look at the faces that only he could see in the harshness of the light surrounding them. A light designed for the specific purpose of rendering human eyes useless "We take back that which is rightfully ours. We take on the world; and fight those who wish to deny us our rightful claims."_

_Open shouting forced Khan to pause once again in that moment; a faint grin stealing across his features for the briefest of seconds before it was gone again, his hand coming out to stall the crowd's dissemination into chaos before he could finish addressing them. He, too, could barely contain the feeling akin to excitement as the rumble of his crew's responses vibrated through him; sending electric shocks through his veins. But as leader, he must exact caution in showing too much emotion…no, he must remain aloof. The time for celebration would come after their victory._

"_We take back the world, as I have promised you we would" He pressed on; noting with some amusement how eagerly the noises died down at his words before going on "But we start first with those who sought to banish us from our rightful throne. We start with Starfleet."_

_The Augment stooped then, yanking Charlotte to her feet once more and turning her around roughly so that she faced him; elation piercing his resolve as he took note of abject fear clouding her eyes._

"_We start…with this" He hissed; sparing the girl before him one last snort of derision, before he turned her back towards the crowd and forced her forward "Do as you will with her. She does not bear the need for mercy."_

_And with that, he was gone…leaving Charlotte with the people who hated her, and what she represented perhaps more than anything they had ever known._

…

A yelp pierced the air of the quiet apartment as Charlotte bolted up from the confines of her bed; her hand automatically going to her chest to calm her frantic heartbeat. The young woman forced her eyes shut as she tried to reassure herself that she had just been dreaming. That it wasn't real. She was safe, at home, in her bed. But try though she might, she could not ignore the cold sweat that clung to her skin; causing the cool air in her bedroom to hit her full force. Shivering, she threw the covers back and hauled herself out of bed; her hand automatically snapping out to steady her shaking legs on the bedside dresser as she forced herself to breathe slowly.

_It's not real. It's not._

Glancing at the clock as she passed from the bedroom into the living room, Charlotte suppressed a groan; slowly moving to flop down on the couch as she passed her hand over her face. It was 2:14 am.

_This is getting out of hand…_

Charlotte leaned back against the couch then, forcing her eyes closed once again as she focused on her current location. She was home. Not trapped with Khan, and his crew. In all likelihood, such a scenario would never happen at all. She was safe.

So why was it so difficult to force away these recurrent dreams? Charlotte had entertained the hope that, once she had disclosed the truth to the Augment about his crew, she would be relieved from such things. Thinking them a manifestation of her guilt, the young woman had half-expected that coming clean about her part in the entire scheme of events would absolve her. But it had not. In fact, the dreams had become worse, over time, since her disclosure. They haunted her in her sleep, and in her waking thoughts as well. And she couldn't help but wonder now, if she were slowly losing her grip on reality. Where else would her fears be coming from, after all?

Shaking her head in resignation, the young woman forced herself up from the couch; doing her best to persuade her thoughts to remain fixed in the present as she moved absently towards the kitchen to start the coffee.

Looks like she wouldn't be sleeping anymore, anyway…

…

Roughly five hours after her rude awakening found Charlotte proceeding through the hall that would lead to Admiral Hill's office; a sense of foreboding stealing through her as she moved. She had a feeling that she knew exactly what this was all about…after all, why else would she be summoned to a private meeting at such an unusual time?

"I thought today was your day off, lass" Scotty spoke up then, startling Charlotte back into awareness as she recalled that she was not walking alone. The Engineer had bumped into her on his way out of a meeting with the head of his department; and as per usual had not hesitated to put his nearly insatiable thirst for conversation to good use.

"It was, Scotty" Charlotte replied; sparing a brief glance for her friend and fellow crew mate before returning her attention to the corridor they occupied "But Admiral Hill called me in. He said we have something to discuss."

"Any idea what it is?"

Weighing her options, Charlotte remained silent for a moment; unsure how much she should tell the Engineer at her side. Of course, she didn't wish to be deliberately elusive. But if, for some reason, this impromptu meeting was not about her discretion regarding Khan; then she would rather keep that occurrence away from the rest of her crew for as long as possible.

"Not really, Scotty" The young woman finally replied; regret stabbing through her for a fraction of a second as she caught sight of the skeptical look the Engineer directed her way before coming to a stop outside Hill's door "But I guess I'll find out soon enough."

"Did ye want me to wait for you?"

Giving the Scotsman a smile, Charlotte shook her head; swallowing once to calm her sudden flash of nerves before she replied "No, Scotty. Thanks though."

"Alrigh' lass. I'll be around if ye need me."

Charlotte watched for a moment as the Engineer left, steeling herself with a deep breath before she turned to face Hill's door. Forcing aside her trepidation, she knocked once; her heart leaping into her chest as his voice immediately beckoned from within the room.

"Come in."

_Here goes nothing…_

Pushing the door open, Charlotte stepped inside; only to find herself instantly freezing in place as she registered the familiar figure seated just before Hill's desk.

_Khan_…

"You…wanted to see me, Admiral?"

"Shut the door, Charlotte" Hill replied; his tone startling her in its severity as she did as instructed, before stepping hesitantly towards him. Of course she couldn't have reasonably expected him not to be upset. After all, she had deliberately defied his orders. But then, why was Khan here?

"Admiral, allow me to…"

"No, Charlotte. Sit down" The Admiral cut her off, gesturing to the spare seat beside Khan in front of his desk as he amended "Please."

Charlotte only hesitated a moment then; doing her best to ignore the way Khan's eyes seemed fixed on her as she stepped to his right and took her place in the indicated seat. She had no doubt in her mind that he was able to hear her heart pounding in her chest…and it was all she could do to resist scooting the chair away from such an imposing figure as Admiral Hill spoke once more.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?"

"Admiral, I…"

"You went against everything I told you. You put this operation at risk for failure; and for what? To clear your guilty conscience?" Hill demanded; his voice rising slightly with every word, and causing Charlotte to actively restrain herself from shrinking back in her chair. This confrontation was, admittedly, just as she had expected. But that did not stop her from curling her fingers into the arms of the chair; her knuckles turning white as she shifted minutely before replying:

"I simply revealed what I felt to be a significant factor in the operation's success."

"Don't give me that, Charlotte" Hill retorted; dragging his fingers through his hair before going on "You did it for yourself."

"Admiral…"

"You know, you and Kirk are exactly the same" The Admiral cut in yet again; rising from his seat and striding over to the window behind him "Always so ready to put yourself in the light of the noble martyr. It would be endearing if it wasn't so damned redundant."

"Nobility had nothing to do with it" Charlotte argued; forcing her gaze to meet the Admiral's as he turned to meet the sound of her voice "We had no right to keep such a thing under wraps."

"And yet, now that it's out in the open; we face an entirely different problem."

"Such as?"

The sound of Hill's teeth grinding was palpable as he began a slow pacing from where he stood; his irritation spiking incrementally as he explained:

"He wants to wake them up."

Charlotte blinked as the Admiral's words sank in; not entirely surprised that such a thing had resulted from her action, in spite of how she sensed Khan tensing beside her. Something in her knew that he was dangerously close to letting go of his carefully leashed control; although she could not explain how she was aware of such a thing. And so she forced herself to swallow slowly, casting the Augment beside her a faint look of warning before she stood to approach Admiral Hill's pacing form.

"So we do."

"Are you _crazy?_" Hill exclaimed; stopping his movements across the tiny space of floor as he whirled to face Charlotte "You know what they are capable of!"

"Last I looked, you _wanted_ to eventually wake them all" Charlotte pressed on; a part of her recognizing that she was treading dangerous ground, as she pushed forward "What was it that you said? That we could forge an alliance with them, so that we might have their aid whenever we require it?"

From behind where she stood, Charlotte heard the audible intake of breath from Khan at her words; her eyes momentarily closing as she debated over how much further she should go before they snapped open once more at the connection of Hill's grip with her forearm.

"You go too far…" He hissed; his fingers tightening on her skin and causing her to recoil at the sudden sensation of pain "Or is it that you forget your place?"

"No…" Charlotte breathed; finally managing to tug her arm away from the Admiral just as she registered the noise that signified Khan rising from his seat and stepping forward "I simply want to avoid seeing this organization fall to the ideals of someone like Marcus."

"Are you accusing me of being like him?"

For her part, the young woman remained silent; her eyes belying her intended denial of the Admiral's claim as she stood there, waiting. She felt, rather than saw Khan step closer to her then; the heat radiating from his body warming her back and startling her a bit as she shifted on her feet. Unable to tell whether he stood closer as a means of protection, or harm; she could only hold her breath, noting the tension in the Admiral's posture as he glanced from Khan, to her before going on.

"You truly don't know the half of what it means to run an organization like ours" He said; leveling a scathing look towards Charlotte before he finished "Your father would be disappointed. He had high hopes for you…hopes that, until now; I had shared wholeheartedly."

Those last words had the desired impact; slamming into Charlotte like a mack truck, and causing her to flinch as they hit home. She could feel the beginnings of tears smarting at her eyes…she sensed the Augment behind her stepping still closer to place his hand against her shoulder…but before her weakness could be revealed for the two men with her to see; she forced herself to move, stepping away from Khan and the Admiral in favor of a spot closer to the wall. The fingers of her right hand had automatically curled into a fist as she fought to keep herself from breaking down completely; and it was with barely veiled pain that she forced herself to listen to the Admiral once again as he said:

"You realize, of course, that your actions have given me no choice…" He began; trailing off as Charlotte's eyes widened, signifying that she knew exactly where he intended to take this. He had her exactly where he wanted her…

"Admiral, wait…"

"You could have been extraordinary; Charlotte" Hill continued then; cutting off the young woman's impending protest, and noting with some intrigue how Khan's hand had clenched at his side while he observed quietly "I could have helped you reach heights that you would never dream of on your own. But that dream is dead now…"

Charlotte could only stand there in silence as her world came crashing down; her ears ringing slightly as she felt herself waver on her feet. It was only by snapping her hand out to catch herself on the wall beside her that she narrowly avoided crumpling to the ground entirely; her heart taking up its erratic pattern of beats once again as the Admiral approached her, his gaze holding hints of mock sincerity as he spoke.

"I'm so very sorry, Charlotte. But this organization cannot absorb the impact of someone who refuses to play by the rules of their superiors."

"So you're…you're saying that…"

"I'm saying that you're done; Miss Pike" Hill confirmed; watching the young girl's face whiten substantially as he finished "I'd simply ask that you turn in your security badge on your way out."

For some inexplicable reason, Charlotte's eyes found Khan's then; as though she were desperately searching for aid…as though she wished nothing more than for him to step in on her behalf. For him to make it so that her existence still had a purpose. For him to see to it that her livelihood did not end here and now. But the Augment said nothing, seemingly content to watch her burn in spite of the flash of something she couldn't quite place that tore through his icy gaze for the briefest of seconds. No, in spite of how she saw his jaw clench, he did nothing. And that left her to suck in a sharp breath; shying away from the Admiral's outstretched arm at the last second and forcing herself to speak.

"Permission to be dismissed, Sir?"

_She had to get out of here…_

"Granted. I _am_ truly so-…"

Charlotte never heard the ending of his statement, however; choosing instead to brush past Khan and hurry out into the hallway, her desire to get as far away from the office as possible blotting out all other senses. She could barely see beyond the tears that threatened to spill over that were clouding her vision. But she would be damned if she let Hill see that…

_He could not see her break. She would preserve that last shred of dignity, at the very least._

….

"_Char…Char, it's Jim. Listen, I heard what happened. Scotty called right after you left, and I…I don't know what to say, Lottie. Other than I need to see you. So please. Please, call me back, alright? You know I'll come over if you don't."_

Tossing back the remainder of the wine in her glass, Charlotte shook her head at her friend's antics; the laugh that wanted to bubble up getting swallowed by the overwhelming sense of numbness that had settled over her since arriving back home. It had taken a while for what had happened back at headquarters to fully sink in; instead of seeming like yet another dream in her long string of nightmares…but now that she was home, everything had fallen into place in a way that she wasn't fully prepared to deal with.

She was no longer an officer of Starfleet. The career that had once given her so much hope…so much fulfillment, had abandoned her now.

She had nothing…

Just as she had following her father's untimely death, Charlotte now found herself caught in a state that was halfway between unending sorrow, and a catatonic feeling of disbelief; her mind practically screaming at her to do _something_ in spite of how her body felt like so much dead weight. Try though she might, she was unable to persuade herself to actually _do_ anything, though…and so it was that she found herself putting away an entire bottle of cheap wine from the nearby supermarket; an act that was more like her best friend's behavior than her own.

At least the buzz took some of the edge off…

Briefly, she recalled the day that Jim sought to drown the displacement he felt as a result of having the Enterprise ripped away from him in that same sleazy bar they had frequented as cadets. A memory that would have brought her some amusement; had it not been so eerily similar to her own current situation.

Of course she acknowledged that she had gone against her orders. The young woman had never expected to get away with that and escape any type of consequence. But had she known that her actions would serve to find her banned from Starfleet as a whole…would she have been able to do it again?

Somehow, Charlotte knew…the answer was a resounding yes.

The shrill ringing of the phone had the young woman jumping, then; a huff of resignation leaving her as she set her glass down on the coffee table and leaned over to peek at the screen bearing the name of the person calling.

_Jim_…

Hesitating for only a second, Charlotte simply leaned back against the couch; closing her eyes and waiting the obligatory four rings before the call went to voicemail.

"_Charlotte, this is your last chance. Call me back in five minutes, or I'm heading over._"

Shaking her head, the young woman merely sighed; dragging her fingers through her curls in an attempt to settle them into some semblance of order. She knew, as well as Jim probably did, that she was not intending to call him back…but that didn't mean that she had to look as horrible as she felt when he arrived.

Getting up to head to the bathroom in an attempt to tidy up to a degree, Charlotte found herself stalled once again; this time by a sharp, yet insistent knock upon her door. Brows furrowing together, she briefly wondered whether or not her friend had called from near her home…but she quickly cast that thought aside; knowing that Jim would have simply showed up outside her door in lieu of his last call. This had to be someone else…

Picking up the pace of her steps at the second knock that came soon after the first, Charlotte hastened to unlock the deadbolt; her breath catching in her throat as she opened the door and fell under the cool blue scrutiny of the man outside.

"Hello, Charlotte…"

….

**Hello my lovelies! Here we are, with another chapter! I hope you can forgive me for the wait (three weeks sure flew by!) I got caught up in reposting my Hobbit fic, in addition to a story for Thor (Loki/OC if anyone is interested). Needless to say, the time got away from me. So I do hope that, even though this is a shorter chapter, its contents make up for the wait!**

**In any case, I just wanted to take the time to thank you all for your patience, and for reading this next exhibit in our tale! Hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as you seem to have liked the other chapters!**

**Thanks again to all of my lovely readers/reviewers! I cannot wait to hear what you think about this chapter!**

**MJR**


	6. Confrontation

A moment was spent staring, open-mouthed at the man in her doorway, before Charlotte took a hesitant step backwards; instinct taking over in spite of her shock as she gestured for Khan to step inside. For his part, the Augment merely threw her a curious look in response to her stunned silence, before doing as instructed; his eyes taking a cursory look around the tiny apartment that Charlotte called her home before the distinct snap of the door shutting and leaving them in solitude reached his ears. Turning once again to face her, he spent a moment watching as she seemed to hesitate as if unsure what she should do; noting with some amusement how her hand kept moving up to brush haphazardly at her hair as she finally broke the silence between them.

"Did Hill send you here to make sure I hadn't gone off the deep end?"

A strange look, bordering between intrigue, and unabashed revulsion at the thought of such a man ever having even the smallest influence on his actions crossed Khan's face then; but before he had the chance to do anything other than take a small step towards Charlotte, she was backtracking, her cheeks flushing a bit in the faint light as she amended:

"I'm sorry; that was rude of me. It's just…I'm a little…"

"Out of sorts?" Khan supplied; catching the faint gleam of something beyond just sadness in the young woman's eyes as she shrugged her shoulders weakly before replying.

"I wouldn't put it _that_ mildly" Charlotte asserted; waving her hand absently towards the living area as she made to attempt being a proper hostess "But you're heading on the right track."

"Your work meant a great deal to you" Khan spoke while moving towards the indicated room; the carefully placed evenness to his tone giving Charlotte a sense that he would never comprehend exactly why anything regarding Starfleet could hold such a weight over her as she nodded her assent.

"Of course it did. But that doesn't matter now; does it?"

"Given your behavior, I'd say it does" The Augment replied; casting a significant glance towards the empty wine bottle on Charlotte's coffee table and noting how her eyes immediately flicked to the ground as she replied:

"What else can you do when the one thing you've spent years cultivating suddenly…gets taken away?"

Remaining silent, Khan opted instead for sitting on the edge of the chair by the young woman's couch; eyeing the wine bottle once again as he heard, rather than saw Charlotte taking a seat on the couch opposite him. He could tell, simply from the way she held herself that his presence was making her uneasy. And he was unable to stop himself from adopting a sardonic smile; his eyes once again rising to meet hers as he changed the subject.

"I would have taken you as a consumer of more sophisticated liquor."

"Beggars can't be choosers."

"True."

The pause that ensued after Khan's acknowledgement of Charlotte's words was uncomfortable enough to warrant the young woman's hand to reach for the discarded wine glass before her; and as she twirled the stem absently in her hand, she found herself unable to look the Augment in the eyes as she put her thoughts to words.

"Why _are _you here, Khan?"

Noting how her tone had softened in spite of the ever present tension he could read in her posture; Khan shifted slightly in the chair, his hand twitching minutely on the armrest before he spoke.

"Isn't it the custom to check in on acquaintances after they suffered a loss?"

Blinking, Charlotte could only stare at the Augment then; her hand somehow managing to set the wine glass down even though she was scarcely paying attention as she rose to her feet and moved to walk towards the kitchen. Always aware of his eyes following her, never wavering in their intensity; the young woman found herself fighting a strange sense of uneasiness as she leaned back against the counter before answering his question.

"Given what you intimated before, I find it surprising that you consider what happened a…_loss_. Hell, you would probably say I got what I deserved."

A part of her knew she was tempting fate, of course. She could tell just in the way Khan's jaw convulsed for a fraction of a second before he regained his carefully exerted control that she had touched a nerve. But in spite of that, her present state of mind seemed almost inclined to ignore how one small slip could turn into a deadly mistake; her eyes remaining fixed on the Augment before her as he stood and took a singular step towards her.

"And why would I say that, Charlotte?"

"Don't tell me you _didn't _want something like this to happen…"

"Making assumptions about my character didn't work so well for you last time. I would hesitate to make the same mistake again."

"Ah, well I'm not _you_, now, am I?" Charlotte's retort slipped out before she could stop it; her entire body tensing as she watched Khan freeze for a split second, before he had closed the distance between them and she was pinned between his body and the cool granite of the countertop. The young woman couldn't quite place the origins of the conflicted look in his eyes as he towered above her; and she soon found herself shrinking back as much as she could in the miniscule amount of space between them, doing her best to keep her breaths even as Khan spoke again.

"Feigning indifference does not suit you, Charlotte. Not when it is so obvious that Hill's actions caused you pain."

"And what difference does that make to _you_?"

It was obvious, in that moment, that her words had stunned the Augment. Charlotte could see that simply from the way he froze before her; his expression giving off every indication that he had suffered a blow, in spite of how he was so clearly working to hide it. It was curious, she thought, watching evident pain ripple across his features before gradually being replaced by cool composure once again; and were it not for the way that his close proximity was causing her heart to shift into overdrive, she might have been persuaded to feel sorry for him. As it was, she had barely noticed how her hand had inched up to rest on his forearm until she felt the definitive solidity of muscle beneath her fingertips…but before she had a chance to decide whether to recoil or give a reassuring squeeze; yet another knock rang through the apartment, causing the young woman to jump as she found her eyes flicking to Khan's.

"I should…I should see who that is."

"Of course."

In seconds, the Augment had cleared enough space for Charlotte to step away; albeit not enough for her to pass him without brushing against his arm, and the young woman found herself momentarily taken aback at the blatant shiver that coursed through her upon the contact, before she forced herself back to the present and approached the door. Tension and a barely masked uneasiness caused her to open the door with perhaps a bit more force than originally intended; and she bit back an ill-timed laugh as her eyes lit on the man opposite her in the hallway, noting how his hand was raised in midair as though intending to knock yet again as she spoke.

"Hey, Jim."

In lieu of a verbal reply, the Captain settled for tugging his best friend forward; arms wrapping around her shoulders as he pulled her to him. That simple gesture would have been enough for him, in spite of how he found his frustration over her actions and subsequent desire to know _why _she had done as she had nearly overwhelming him…but he could not miss the way she had tensed in his arms after barely a second's passing; and it was with a growing sense of suspicion that he pulled away from her, eyes searching hers for the briefest of moments before a familiar voice reached his ears.

"_Captain_…"

"What the _hell _are you doing here?" Kirk demanded; eyes lighting on Khan as the Augment came to stand behind his friend and slightly to the left.

_He had promised Charlotte he wouldn't let the man get to her again…_

"Jim, wait…" The young woman intervened; only to find herself silenced once again as her best friend returned his attention to her, a mix of anger and concern in his eyes as he asked:

"Charlotte, did he hurt you?"

"What! No, no of course not, Jim, you've…"

"Then why is he _here_?"

"I do not believe I require you permission to visit a colleague; _Captain_" Khan intervened then; the disdain in his tone only barely concealed as he took a step towards the shorter man, noting with some amusement the way Kirk's body immediately shifted to stand before Charlotte so that she was shielded from him. As if the Captain could stop _him_ from taking what he wanted… "Nor do you dictate who she permits into her home."

"And she wouldn't let _you_ in unless she felt threatened" Jim retorted; taking a step of his own towards the Augment, only to find himself taken aback by how quickly Charlotte had moved to stand between them, one hand resting on his chest as she spoke.

"Jim, _please_" She pleaded; leveling her friend with a look that spoke volumes of her anxiousness as she went on "Nothing was forced. I let him in."

"Why?"

"Well, for starters, because it seemed like the polite thing to do" The young woman replied; taking a singular step closer to Jim as she dropped her hand back to her side "And because all he wanted to do was talk. Nothing more."

"What could you possibly want to talk about with her?" The young Captain asked then; eyes flicking up from Charlotte's to Khan's as he cautiously stepped around his friend once more "Hasn't she suffered enough because of you?"

"Jim!"

"Her father, her career, her _life_…"

"Jim, please, you aren't helping…"

"No, Charlotte" Khan spoke softly, eyes locking with the vivid green of hers as she whirled to face him "Let him speak. He clearly has much he wants to say."

"You're damn right I do" Jim retorted; preparing himself to give the man before him every last piece of what was on his mind, only to find himself cut short once again as Charlotte stepped between them a second time.

"Not like this" She said; ignoring the way Jim's eyes had widened over how she kept coming in between them, as though she were protecting _Khan_ as she pressed forward "Anger and accusations don't settle anything."

"Why are you so intent on _defending _him?"

"Jim, he saved my _life_! Both our lives! And whether you could ever _believe_ this or not; he had nothing to do with my actions. I made those choices on my own."

"Because of some strange sense that you actually _owe _him something…"

"And maybe I do!"

The disbelief and pain that crossed the Captain's features as a result of his friend's rebuttal in that moment were unmistakable; his eyes closing for a moment or two before he opened them once again and replied:

"I think I should go."

"Jim, wait…" Charlotte protested; guilt tearing through her in waves as she realized what she had done. She had inadvertently sided with Khan. Choosing him over her best friend…

_Had it really come down to her taking sides with a terrorist?_

"It's fine, Char, really. I'll call you later" Kirk said then; adopting a faint smile as he took a miniscule step back, stopping short against his will at the brokenness in Charlotte's voice as she whispered his name.

"Jim…"

"Really, Char, I just…I just need some air."

Dropping her hand from where it had risen to latch onto Jim's arm, Charlotte merely nodded; her throat constricting with something akin to regret as she began to fully comprehend how much he was struggling to avoid letting the impact of her words show. Of course she had never meant to hurt him. She would sooner lose everything she had ever known, than see that happen. But a part of her still refused to permit her friend to so blindly misjudge Khan. Albeit true that the man had done his fair share of damage to them both personally, and through his actions against Starfleet; she couldn't seem to make herself believe that he had acted without reason.

He had been made to believe his family was forever lost to him. That could not be expected to go without consequence.

It took a moment for Charlotte to realize that Jim had turned once again as he neared the door; and the young woman quickly forced herself back to the present, her shock unmasked as she noticed the pointed way in which her friend had looked above her to where Khan stood.

"If you hurt her…"

"I have no doubt you will make me pay for every last insult, Captain."

For the briefest of moments, Kirk looked as though he had every intention of saying something snide in return…but opting to put as much distance between him and the Augment as possible; he chose instead to give Charlotte one last look of concern before turning his back and leaving her alone with Khan once more. Unable to do anything to prevent her friend from taking his leave, the young woman could only shake her head in dismay; stooping almost without being aware of it to perch on the edge of the couch. Everything seemed to be falling apart around her…her friendship…her _job_…and it was only at the feeling of Khan's hand coming up to rest upon her shoulder that she forced herself out of her shock and disappointment; turning slightly to face the man who had come to sit beside her as she spoke softly.

"I can't believe I said that."

"You were hurt" The Augment stated simply; seemingly content to shrug off Charlotte's words as though they were no more than what was to be expected. She, however, could not excuse such a thing; and so opted for shaking her head in the negative, her fingers toying absently with the fringe on the armrest of the couch as she spoke.

"He's my best _friend_…"

"He is one of _them_."

Feeling the weight of Khan's palm leave her shoulder after his willing condemnation of Jim…of everyone she loved, Charlotte forced herself to stand from her seat; moving a few steps away as frustration and anger coursed through her.

"_They _are all I have" She hissed; fingernails digging into the palm of her right hand as she whirled to face Khan where he remained seated "_They _are my family."

Khan merely looked at her then, his eyes holding an equal mix of confusion and intrigue as he shifted minutely before he replied.

"Where were _they_ when Hill dismissed you?"

Shaking her head, Charlotte tugged a hand through her hair; shock and disbelief rendering her nearly speechless as she looked from Khan, to her feet, and back to Khan again. Was he actually suggesting that she blame her friends for what had happened to her? Could he possibly believe for one second that she would hold them responsible for not confronting Hill after learning what her punishment was to be? She knew all too well that to do such a thing would likely end in their own dismissal.

_She could not have their livelihoods hanging in the balance on her account…_

"You can't actually be blaming them…" Charlotte began; only to find herself cut off as Khan's voice rose above hers, the distaste he felt for the organization they all represented evident as he spoke.

"Your _Captain_ could have insisted you be reinstated" He said; standing from his seat and stepping towards her, forcing her to take an instinctive step back as he pushed forward "He could have persuaded Hill to do something, but he did not. What does that say about your _family_ now?"

"Khan, don't you dare…"

"You are _blind_, Charlotte. Blind to the vain ambition of your precious Starfleet. Even after everything you have been through…" The Augment began; his intentions of forcing Charlotte to see the error of the organization she held so dear causing his tone to harden in an instant as he thought back to all the pain he had endured at Marcus' hands. At Starfleet's hands. He was determined that Charlotte would see that pain, and desire to end it…but before he could seek to force Starfleet's motives still further into question; she had tensed visibly, taking yet another step away from him as she said:

"I think you should leave."

Momentarily caught off guard, the Augment stopped in his tracks; noting how Charlotte's face had paled upon hearing his accusation, and fighting a brief stab of regret at the lingering sheen to her eyes that could only be tears. In coming here, he had not meant to cause her further harm…in fact, he had intended to persuade her to join him in regaining his own family. She was no longer tied to Starfleet now…though it was becoming ever more evident that in spite of her loss of position with that damnable organization; it still held its own sway over her thoughts and actions.

_Perhaps he had been wrong to seek her out…_

"Charlotte…" He began; doing his best to soften the timbre of his voice even though he wanted nothing more than to force her to see how she had been led astray. The Augment was unable to determine exactly why her stubborn resistance to see through the elaborate lie of Starfleet troubled him so greatly…but before he could go any further in an attempt to make amends, Charlotte was holding her hand up to halt his words; her shoulders rising and falling in time with a well-controlled breath before she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"_Go_. Please."

A brief pause ensued before Khan offered her a curt nod and moved to step around her smaller frame; one hand reaching up to curl around her arm as the other slipped inside the pocket of his pants. Withdrawing a small square of paper, the Augment held the object before Charlotte's eyes for a brief second; careful to set it just to the side of her on the counter before leaning only a fraction of an inch closer to her as he said:

"Feel free to take a look if you are interested in someone else's side of the story."

Less than two seconds later, Khan had relinquished his hold on the young woman's arm; closing the distance between himself and the door in a few long strides, and leaving Charlotte alone with her thoughts. He was fairly certain that she _would _read what he had left for her…her innate curiosity and knack for delving as deep as she could into anything placed before her would see to that. And with any luck, she would be convinced that _he _was in the right. She would realize everything she had worked for was a lie...

She would be on his side before long.

….

**Hello, my darlings! Is it me, or does it seem like each chapter keeps getting shorter here? Alas, I have a somewhat decent (in my opinion) explanation for this one. Namely that my grandma fell and hit her head on Christmas night when we dropped her off at home; and that evoked a hospital stay that spanned through until Friday evening. So the ensuing funk I was in with that, coupled with the usual holiday chaos made it kind of difficult to find consecutive time to write. **

**Secondly, given the relative abundance of drama I've been living with I want to take a quick second to acknowledge that this chapter may not be my best work. And I'd like to implore upon you as my dearest readers to PLEASE tell me if I need to redo it because it's lame or doesn't even make sense. I was trying to go for tension/awkwardness between Char and Khan, and doubling that with adding Jim in the mix. But I'm not sure it worked out as I intended.**

**At any rate, I'll stop rambling at you for now and leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening. But please don't hesitate to leave me your thoughts! And thank you SO MUCH for reading!**

**MJR**


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